Kaylu
by green-angel215
Summary: When Catti-brie dies giving birth Drizzt is left alone to raise their only child - Kaylu. A story about growing up for both a father and daughter.
1. Drizzt

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Drizzt

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Forever will the memory of the first time I held my daughter be etched in my mind. For the rest of my life, when I wake up, it will be the first thing I see. The chaos around me was dampened by my own grief, my wife's corpse lay inches from my fingers, still warm. Healers were subdued, knowing they had failed and the midwife was busily cleaning the crying infant. Her shouts rained over me, I felt them throughout my body. I turned to the midwife bundling my child and reached out to her. Her handed me the baby. "Here's your daughter, sir." She said softly. My daughter.

Her face was red and swollen, bunched up as she wailed in my arms. I was then I realized that when newborns come out, they do not cry, they scream. They are terrified of what is happening to them, of this new world they so suddenly, so unexpectedly find themselves in. I squeezed her gently and pressed my face to hers, and cried silently. At that moment I was the closest I had ever been to another person. Her screams of absolute terror was what was ripping through me inside. On the inside, I was screaming too. I was terrified. I took a deep breath and kissed her soft hair, "Don't be afraid, little one, we have eachother." I whisphered, looking into her small face, holding her small hands.

She settled down shortly, falling asleep as the midwife cleaned around me. Bruenor soon came into the room. I could see the red rim around his eyes and Regis's, who had followed after him. "What is it, drow?" He asked gruffly, looking Catti-brie face.

"A girl." I replied, watching her sleeping face. My voice was strained and choked. Regis wandered closer and peered down at her. His face was torn between complete grief and tender joy when he saw her.

"She's lovely." He murmered softly, looking once at Catti-brie and then again at the baby before backing away. Bruenor turned to me slowly and held out his arms hesitently.

"Let me see her." He said, his voice still rough. In that moment I paniced, I insinctively griped her tighter. She was my lifeline, my last resort, my reason for not colapsing competely. I took a deep breath and handed her over to her grandfather, who held her gently, lovingly. The baby fussed silently, shifting until she was comfortable. I was simply concentrating on breathing. Right there, that tiny little life form, was my daughter, mine and Catti-brie's. Catti-brie was dead. She was all I had left of Catti-brie.

After what felt like an eternity Bruenor placed her back in my arms. I held her close to my body and stood slowly. She fussed slightly when I moved but then calmed again. I looked for a long time at the now covered body before turning and walking out of the room.

x-xox-x

I had made a small, nest like bed against the wall on my own bed. The baby slept peacefully in it, her body pressed to my thigh. I slept sitting up, when I slept at all. I mostly watched her. The bassenet Catti-brie had had made was sitting unused on the other side of the room. Nahoro Silverworker, the wetnurse for the child, was constently trying to convince me that it was safest for the child to be in it's own bed. I could crush the baby or sufficate it. Her husband, Dey Silverworker, tutted her and shook his old head, "Leave him be!" He would scold. Though, I was not blind enough to not see the concern in his own eyes.

I was sitting with my daughter one night, watching as she looked around the room silently, thinking about baby things. "What, my little girl, could you possiblily _have _to think about? Are you hearing things I cannot? Seeing things I've lost the innocence to see? What do you think of, darling girl?" I mused, stroking her cheek with the tip of my finger. I stopped and titled my head, gazing into her purple eyes. "You are going to need a name I suppose" I thought back to when Catti-brie and I had discussed names for our child, deciding Zaknafein for the boy easily but arguing over the name for a girl. Catti-brie and insisted it be named Kaylu. I hadn't been fond of the name and pressed for Larra. We had agreed on Eika. "Kaylu..." I tested, her small head turned to the sound of my voice and she smiled brillantly. "Yes, Kaylu. My baby girl, my Kaylu." I murmered and picked her up gently. She watched me silently as I held her out from my, under the arms. This lasted only a few moments before I craddled her to my chest again.

x-xox-x

That's it for chapter one -- a short chapter!

PLEASE review or I will not update. If you like it, that is. Just review to say "I was here. Update. Now." I will not waste my time posting a story no one will read. Thank you.


	2. Nahoro

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Nahoro

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At first the drow had frightened the life out of me. He would always watch silently as I nursed the baby, staring intently at the suckling infant. It was about three weeks into the routine before I became comfortable with him. I came to realize that he could have cared less about me, it was his daughter he was obsessed with. In all actuality, I liked the man. He was a calm, soothing presence in the room and had befriended Dey rather quickly.

Now - not that I have any ill will towards my husband - Dey is a character. A difficult and nerve grinding character. He will banter senselessly for hours - no that's wrong. Not senselessly. With great... intelligence? Maybe. Or maybe I just can't describe his ways. I suppose I should be able to, with us being married, loving each other and whatnot. You see Dey is an astoundingly intelligent individual, a scholar type. He has theories about everything - including his own theories! So listening and tolerating his speech is, quite honestly, impossible.

Now back to Drizzt - not to say he didn't care a lick about me. Actually quite the opposite! He would pry in his subtle way into my silences and moods and comfort me when it was needed, joke with me, talk with me or just let his silent presence reassure. He was incredibly patient as well, taking my nagging motherly ways in stride. I respected the man.

It was around the four week old mark and I came for the daily feeding. Keep in mind now that Drizzt had moved into our home just outside of the Mithril Hall palace where he previously resided. He had insisted I not be brought from my home and if it wasn't trouble he come there. Kaylu had been wailing up a storm, screeching for food and Drizzt was slowly pacing the room with her. He had her upright against his chest and her small head was bobbling uncontrollably in a desperate attempt to find milk.

"Tsk. Give 'er here." I said, taking the screaming child from her helpless father. Sometimes I pitied the poor girl. I knew, just knew, she was always waiting for Drizzt to provide her food. Not me. Though, she had grown to tolerate me, she was still as obsessed with her father as he her. I would have said before it was impossible for a baby her age to pick favorites but, by God, she proved me wrong. So long as I fed her she wouldn't cry but the instant she was full she was yelling her head out until Drizzt wisked her away again.

"Thank you, Nahoro." He murmured quietly and settled down on his bed, ready to watch Kaylu feed. I had to admit, though I liked Drizzt, I think he went a little crazy when his wife died. He was a very introverted man, though without the King's help - who could blame the man, his daughter died?! - he was left to grieve on him own. No man should be completely alone like he was. Sure, he had the panther and Regis, but he still seemed lonely. Dey, Regis and I were successful in slowly extracting him, though Regis was forced to spending more time the hermit like man we call king.

x-xox-x

The routine task of kneading dough, stretching, kneading, powdering, kneading again. Shape, pour, cover and bake. Dey was silent at the table, flipping through an old volume. "Quiet today, ain't she?" I said finally, brushing the flour off my hands and peering at the now baking pie. I turned to look at Dey and Drizzt, a pair they made. An aging Dwarf and a Drow. Both new fathers, though Dey had his share in fatherhood already. My son, Vorkil, lay in a small bundle in baby seat, fussing quietly. Kaylu, as usual was being held gently by Drizzt who had been peering at a map Dey had laid out.

"'Course she is, woman! Can't get a peep outa the thing. Never could, never will." Dey replied gruffly, glancing over at the silent girl in Drizzt arms.

"Just sayin', that's all. Hasn't even fussed a bit. Unusual even for her, isn't that right Drizzt?" I gathered Vorkil up in my arms and rocked him lightly. He settled quickly and fell asleep.

"Yes, it is unusal, Nahoro. I expect we will hear something soon." Drizzt reply was light, quiet. He had a good voice, the Drow, his word flowed and he seemed slightly amused when he spoke. He raised the girl up and kissed her cheek. She cooed happily and waved her arms around, smiling. I was struck again by the difference, her skin seemed so white against his. She looked like her mother, if her mother had purple eyes and white hair. Same face, you could tell already. They's been the spitting image of each other. Of course, they would both be striking for different reason, I reckoned. Catti-brie for her head of beautiful, thick auburn hair and brilliant blue eyes and Kaylu for her snowy white hair and bright purple eyes.

"See, told ye she was quiet, you bloomin' fool!" I said and wacked Dey over the head, the man grumbled, turned and snatched Vorkil away from me.

"Yer Mama is a pain, you hear. Don't ye be marryin' one like her, she'll drive ye mad!" He said, holding the child out fromn him a bit. The boy, jarred from his nap, stared blurry at his father.

"Is that why your the way you are, Dey?" Drizzt asked pleasantly as he rose. Dey shot him a look and then settled back down to read, the baby on his lap. The drow leaned over a kissed my cheek lightly before turning towards his room. "I'm going to see Bruenor. I'll be back soon." He explained and disappeared behind the door.

"'Spect he'll be back long before supper. Baby to feed and all. Never irresponsible with the girl, nope, not him. Good Dad, that boy. Maybe it's the Drow in 'im. Reckon the Drow make good Dads, Nahoro? He sure does." Dey mumbled, turning over the page.

"No, I reckon they don't you bloomin' fool! 'Reckon the Drow make good Dads?' Yer a crazed old man. The Drow make good nothin'!" I snapped, shaking my head.

"Well, now. They made our Drizzt, didn't they?"


End file.
